US Patent Issued to Scout Motors on Oct. 20 for "Tailgate step" (Virginia Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 21 -- United States Patent no. 12,767,054, issued on Oct. 20, was assigned to Scout Motors Inc. (Tysons, Va.).

"Tailgate step" was invented by Kenneth Trumble (Tysons, Va.) and Jason Scott (Tysons, Va.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A tailgate step may include an actuation handle configured to be pivotably coupled to a vehicle tailgate. A tailgate step may include a drive link pivotably coupled to the actuation handle. A tailgate step may include a step support link pivotably coupled to the drive link and configured to support a step skin. A tailgate step may include a step surface coupled to and movable with the step support link between: a stowed position hiding the st...